Hope For The Holiday
Thanksgiving is over; it's the first Sunday in Advent. Although Sunday is almost over. Like the rest of this long weekend, it's gone by much to fast.
Since I never got to cleaning on Wednesday, Thanksgiving day found my family and I cleaning up for company. And I'm pleased to say that working together we did a great job. It didn't even take that long. (Although when it comes to cleaning; it always takes longer than expected). And then there was the cooking and finally the feasting with the family. We are a small group, but I am thankful for each one that was around the table (and for those who weren't...I have a small immediate family, but a bigger extended family and though they are not there in person, each one is there in my thoughts).
Amazingly I did do some shopping on Black Friday! And before I headed off to work! No, I didn't go right after the Thanksgiving meal. I did wake up in the middle of the night and thought about heading out, but was talked into staying home and trying to sleep a little more. (Some how it doesn't seem right to go to the mall at 2 in the morning...and yet it's perfectly alright to do so around 5. At least that's what my warped sense tells me). I got up at my usual time, cut down on my early morning exercises (probably not the best idea seeing how much eating was done the day before) and hurried out the door. I didn't need much (again I have a small family and most of the holiday shopping had already been done...if nothing else I always TRY to be organized.) I bought the few things I needed at the department store (which was not crowded it all...either I missed the crowds or they were all somewhere else) and managed to unpack my purchases at home without waking up the boys, go to the ATM, get a special coffee at Starbucks and be at my desk early.
Saturday was spent working/volunteering at my favorite thrift shop (it was after all, Small Business Saturday and we did a wonderful amount of business) and decorating the house. My husband does a great job at assembling the tree. My son did a great job of decorating it. I did a great job of breaking things.
Somehow today managed to appear quicker than I could have imagined. The first of December; the first Sunday in Advent. The Sunday of Hope.
In among the chaos of the four day weekend (which wasn't four days for me), I managed to take a breath for a moment (although it was at the end of the day...after more decorating and running around was done). I really thought about the holiday that is almost upon us. This Sunday is designated as "Hope". What do I hope for this holiday?
There are the usual things: Good Health, Happiness and enough money to pay the bills. (Well maybe more than that if I am to be completely honest). But what I hope for, if I really think about it, is time for reflection this year. Time to slow down and think about it all. Time to enjoy the holidays. I hope that I do not rush through things that I miss what the holidays are all about. I am well aware that this is something I too often do. I rush and I hurry. And in doing so, I think I miss out on a lot of wonderful, beautiful "little" things. I even "rushed" myself to write this and finish before the day's end because I didn't want to miss my self imposed "deadline" of posting about Hope on the first Sunday in Advent. (And would it really have been all that tragic if I did???).
So as the day comes to an end, I'm going to stop sitting here in front of this computer. I'm going to take a few deep breaths and slow down. And when I go downstairs lock the front door, I'm going to pause and enjoy the beautiful lights that are on our tree. I'm going to breathe deeply and enjoy the scented candle that sits on my dining room table. I'm going to slow down and give myself some hope for the holiday.
Since I never got to cleaning on Wednesday, Thanksgiving day found my family and I cleaning up for company. And I'm pleased to say that working together we did a great job. It didn't even take that long. (Although when it comes to cleaning; it always takes longer than expected). And then there was the cooking and finally the feasting with the family. We are a small group, but I am thankful for each one that was around the table (and for those who weren't...I have a small immediate family, but a bigger extended family and though they are not there in person, each one is there in my thoughts).
Amazingly I did do some shopping on Black Friday! And before I headed off to work! No, I didn't go right after the Thanksgiving meal. I did wake up in the middle of the night and thought about heading out, but was talked into staying home and trying to sleep a little more. (Some how it doesn't seem right to go to the mall at 2 in the morning...and yet it's perfectly alright to do so around 5. At least that's what my warped sense tells me). I got up at my usual time, cut down on my early morning exercises (probably not the best idea seeing how much eating was done the day before) and hurried out the door. I didn't need much (again I have a small family and most of the holiday shopping had already been done...if nothing else I always TRY to be organized.) I bought the few things I needed at the department store (which was not crowded it all...either I missed the crowds or they were all somewhere else) and managed to unpack my purchases at home without waking up the boys, go to the ATM, get a special coffee at Starbucks and be at my desk early.
Saturday was spent working/volunteering at my favorite thrift shop (it was after all, Small Business Saturday and we did a wonderful amount of business) and decorating the house. My husband does a great job at assembling the tree. My son did a great job of decorating it. I did a great job of breaking things.
Somehow today managed to appear quicker than I could have imagined. The first of December; the first Sunday in Advent. The Sunday of Hope.
In among the chaos of the four day weekend (which wasn't four days for me), I managed to take a breath for a moment (although it was at the end of the day...after more decorating and running around was done). I really thought about the holiday that is almost upon us. This Sunday is designated as "Hope". What do I hope for this holiday?
There are the usual things: Good Health, Happiness and enough money to pay the bills. (Well maybe more than that if I am to be completely honest). But what I hope for, if I really think about it, is time for reflection this year. Time to slow down and think about it all. Time to enjoy the holidays. I hope that I do not rush through things that I miss what the holidays are all about. I am well aware that this is something I too often do. I rush and I hurry. And in doing so, I think I miss out on a lot of wonderful, beautiful "little" things. I even "rushed" myself to write this and finish before the day's end because I didn't want to miss my self imposed "deadline" of posting about Hope on the first Sunday in Advent. (And would it really have been all that tragic if I did???).
So as the day comes to an end, I'm going to stop sitting here in front of this computer. I'm going to take a few deep breaths and slow down. And when I go downstairs lock the front door, I'm going to pause and enjoy the beautiful lights that are on our tree. I'm going to breathe deeply and enjoy the scented candle that sits on my dining room table. I'm going to slow down and give myself some hope for the holiday.
That is going to be my motto this holiday season as well. I'm trying to simplify and slow down. We decided not even to put up the tree, just too much stress with the cats. We hung lights and stockings and felt plenty Christmas-y =)
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